WVU in the News: West Virginia’s contact tracing needs illustrate ‘the paradox in public health’
As West Virginia continues to reopen its economy, Gov. Jim Justice and public health officials have called for more personal protective equipment, more testing and a plan for contact tracing.
Contact tracing is an important part of making sure highly contagious diseases like the coronavirus don’t spread. The practice helps tell people whether they have come in contact with an infected person, which in turn, can help guide treatments and reduce further exposure.
But many local health departments in West Virginia don’t have enough resources to handle the existing needs within their communities. West Virginia University’s School of Public Health is partnering with the state DHHR to create a training program to get more contact tracers in place.
Dr. Christopher Martin is one of the professors leading the program, and he noted that guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that people don’t need experience in public health to learn how to do contact tracing.
He and others have created an online training that will take 14 to 16 hours. He says they’re targeting three broad groups: students, including undergrad public health majors and graduate students in public health and related fields; licensed health professionals and students who need additional clinical hours to complete their degrees; and concerned citizens who want to volunteer.